The laptop is dead. Long live the tablet.
When the iPad was first unveiled, in January 2010, consumers fell in love. And the electronics industry retooled to get in on the tablet game. Since then, more than a hundred of the devices have entered the market, to the point where keeping track of the parade of tablets coming out is close to impossible.
Slideshow: Best tablets for business travelers
That said, no matter how many new devices hit the street, they all remain locked in competition with the elephant in the office: the Apple iPad series, which by some estimates retains a nearly 70 percent share of the tablet market. The iPad remains the juggernaut to beat in this business, and its dominance ensures that by the time the new year rolls around, only a handful of those 80 tablets will still be alive and kicking.
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On the other hand, the iPad can’t (and doesn’t) do everything, and for many users it’s not the end-all, be-all of technology. After all, the iPhone is now getting clobbered by Android handsets, and Google’s mobile OS is finally starting to take tablets seriously. The iPad may not have great competition yet, but it’s coming.
That’s actually good news if you haven’t bought a tablet yet (and most of you haven’t). But how do you decide which one is right for you? The major decisions are pretty easy: Which OS do you prefer: Apple, Android or something else?
Next, how big do you want the screen to be? The difference between a 10-inch screen and a 7-inch screen may sound minimal, but a slim Samsung Galaxy will slip into your coat pocket. On the other hand, the twin-screened Acer Iconia will require a bag or a briefcase.
Finally, which features do you need? Many of the newer tablets seem to come with cameras, ports to connect to a TV and 4G wireless capabilities. Some offer a stylus for more detailed art needs. Others double as fancy TV remote controls.
Don’t like what you see? Hang out a couple of months and you’ll find a new crop to choose from.
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